Day Six: As I awoke in Cedar City Utah June 24th realizing I had time to do ten or miles of running. I saw that there was a quiet residential development just meters away from where I stayed over that night. The next drive would be 391 miles, pretty much all desert.
On my morning run, I saw one person walking on a path I'd just discovered after running a little over a mile. The path wound up and around behind the residential area. There were hiking trail heads to my left as I ran north then west on the paved path. The hillyness of the path seemed to have such a steep grade as 26%/about 15 degrees. Going down I nearly felt as if to walk a section. I'm guessing on the numbers of steepness.
The air was a delightful clear skied 74 to 78 degrees.
As I ran I felt the coolness of some of the desert plants that surrounded me on either side. It was ohhhh, so tempting to make a 90 degree left turn into the wooded trails. But I'd left my Natrapell bug spray back at the hotel in my ditty bag. Instead, I pursued doing loops up and around and on the paved path and surrounding residential area. Soon I saw cyclists pull up in a parking lot to go ride the trails I so wanted to explore.
God willing next time I'll do the wooded trails there. Definitely something I would return to for the experience.
Before I knew it I was cleaned up, checked out, loaded up and off to a local store for a coloful hairband as the one I'd been wearing broke. I got my purchase and then drove to a nearby gas station. I pulled into a gas station with a market attached. I pumped gas into my car, then proceeded inside to refill my cooler with ice and get some water.
As I paid for the ice and water a woman was ringing me up. A man stood just to her left facing me. "Where you from?" I replied, "Jersey." She smiled and said, "Wow!" Then turning to him said, "Honey? Would you help her carry the items to her car." I have to say I was stunned because this was a routine I'd doing without asking for help. I didn't think twice because I never expect anyone to help me. I just figure everyone is busy. I take no offense.
The man helped me get the items to my car. "Gosh. You drove this whole way." Shaking his head. I replied, "Yeah, Yesterday was wicked." I giggled. He continued, "New Jersey makes good pizza." I replied, "You Betcha." I wondered how he knew that. He then stated, "My wife and I just moved here a few years ago from Las Vegas. And when I go back to New Jersey, I stay with my best friend. His mother a real Italian. Makes me the most awesome calzones." I replied, "So, you're telling me New Jersey has better pizza than New York?" He remarked, "I think so. It's what I know." I smiled, "You figure correctly." We snickered. He thanked me for giving them business and I was off to Lone Pine, knowing to only use my air conditioning sparingly through the desert of near 400 miles.
The next all desert drive, I knew would get hot. Probably 120 degrees. I'd drive with the window down for sure. I had paper maps and car GPS directions telling me where to go and such. Before I start any journey I read the maps. I take a sort of topographical view, memorizing key locals (parks, rivers and such) and names of roadways. A portion of what I drove were backroads. Lots of turns, much slower roads than the posted 65-80mph signs on the highways. Much 25-35 mph roadways I drove to get to Lone Pine.
Yet, along the way the scenery was massive. I was grateful that I had to drive slow. It was areas I'd never been through getting to Death Valley National Park. I'd been there six times, yet never this route. A route I'd never realized existed. Soon I was at an intersection near Stove Pipe Wells. It was already 119 degrees. As I pulled into a parking space across from a lowly hotel I'd stayed in before, it shot up to 122 degrees. I hadn't put my air conditioner on till about 106 degrees, but even that didn't make me want to keep it on, until my phone started to warn me it was getting affected.
I stopped and took a few pictures. Then got into my car and my phone recouped as I began to drive.
I headed up from 5 foot above sea level elevation up to near 5,000 feet above sea level elevation over 18 miles towards Panamint Springs, which dipped down to 1500 feet elevation. I drove through the salt basin area, climbed up about nine miles later up to Father Crowley and found parking to take pictures. As I had done so, clouds whisked in. The temperatures had dropped down to 102, they ebbed and flowed to 110 or so, then down again. The roadway to get there is tight, narrow and curved through prehistoric rocky masses.
Back in the car I drove back up to 5,000 feet elevation, then gradually down about 40 miles later into the town of Lone Pine California at about 2,000 feet elevation.
After I checked into my room, I went for a quick, now cloudy three mile run, past Whitney Portal Road and whispered, "I'll be running on you tomorrow morning."
I got back from my run, found a nice local market and bought items that needed little prep. I was satiated with fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, water, homemade coffee I'd whipped up with my palm press. And of course cookies and pretzels. Watched US Olympic Trials and passed out, knowing that tomorrow I'd be one step closer to seeing our oldest and a friend and some family members too.---Jody-Lynn Reicher
Comments
Post a Comment